Top for vehicles and the like



Aug, 7, 1923. 1,464,193

' c. R. ALLEN 7 TOP FOR VEHICLES AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 28. 1919 fv VEA/ 70b Kiw /es E A//en By w qn w in in v In. m M

CHARLES R.

SOCKET 1391i.

PAD-FY, ASHTA TGP FOB VEHICLES AND Anplication filed rloveniher T all whom it may (109706?"71-1 Be it known that l, Cumulus l-Z. ALLEN, s citizen oi the iln States and resident of Ashtabuln, (It y oil? Ashtztlmlu, and State of Ulric, ha e invented it new and useful lnproveir mi in Tops for Vehicles ind the l he, cit which the following is 21 speck :fication, the principle of the invention being; herein explained, and the best mode in which I have contempluted applying that priuciple so as to distinguish :trom other in- 'veutions.

The present improved top belongs class of soculled one mun tops in which ill of the top structure toiwvzirdly off a rear main bow or support is carried theretron'i so as to eliminate the necessity tor any ton word Inn-in bow separately attached to the vehicle body. These tops m more properly he celled clear vision tops. since equally important with ease of manipulation is the provision oi"- an unobstructed View tor the occupants of the "vehicle. The object of the present inycntion to provide a. structure of this type which may be supported from a single reeirwerdly inclinins; main how so as still more pertectly to realize the clear vision, effect. A further object is to provide :1 structure that may be readily manipulated either to fold crunfold the top as desired, while, by reducinc; to a minimum the number of operative parts, the manufacture is simplified and the cost correspondinely decreased.

To the accomplishment oi. the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the follow: inp; description setting :lorth in detail oertuin mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of rurious mechunicul storms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

in said annexed drawings-- 1 is a side eleviitionel View of a top supportiiiig structure embodying my present improvements, such top being; shown as mounted on. on automobile body or tonnesu of conventional form; and 2 is :1V similar side elevation showing a modified form ott construction.

lit is of course a matter of indifference whether the top is used on automobile to the ALLEN, OF ASHTAT'EU'LIL, 01-116,

Serial 1H0. 341,154.

motor-bout or otherwise, and, depending upon its longitudinal extent, smaller or larger number ot bows in addition to the i, r structure of present terest. may i It will also be unucrstorel that the term bow is used herein inclnsively to designite not merely the wooden bow proper, but the metallic socln s curryingi' the some, the "s when regained in side elevation co 1 i g the equirulent of e so-culled sticks, us hey are called in the old wood structure it is accordingly :1. matter of convenience to refer to the parts in the sineulu '1', es though the structure lay all in o s 3 of interer Q Li actually lie in such a plane,

As previously indicated, the top covering 1 is designed to be entirely supported through an appropriate outrigger structure from a, single mnin bow Q. The letter, which is o ubstantial CODSllI'lCl-Ulll in "VIEW 0; the

lilormully, in the e; ended or open condition oi? said main how 2 inclines reerwerdly at LllQlG of approximately :l ortyhve degz reesto the horizontal, being held from rising higher by the top covering, or rather by special strum (not shown) or extensions 01' the longitudinal. strainers which. as is well known, are used to connect the bows together and provide Supporting means for the topcoveringr intermediately between said bows. For the purpose in hand such straps or strainers may be regarded {IS a purl; of the covering material.

lleierrinnj first to the features 0'! construction common. to both oi? the specific terms illustrated in the drawing, the outrigger structure which here constitutes all cat the top supporting means save that supplied by main how 2 will be seen to comprise at pair oi? bowsB and l pivotully connected together til the point 5'. This point is ZXP'PI'OK- imately midway between the ends oi? suid bows respectively, regarding the some in side elevation, and 't will be noted that the pivot in question is formed in e clump 6 mounted directly on the upper iuceof the how 3 in the extended condition of the top. The main portion of how 4t accordingly lies is not in use.

e rerticsl plane since the parts i in the same plane with how 3, and so is adapted to fold directly thereagainst when the top is collapsed and form a. correspondingly compact stack. The inner or lower portion of said how l consists of an exten sion 7 laterally offset with respect to such. main portion so as to lie within the how 3, as clearly shown in Fig. l. The lower or inner end of how 3 is connected with the corresponding; side of main bow 2 by means of a link 3, the joint 9 between the parts in question being a rule joint dis posed so as to prevent further bending of said parts when extended in the approximately horizontal position they occupy when. the top is open. To the lower end or tension 7 of bow a is in turn attached the inner end of a forwardly extending or outrigger bow 10, the oint 11 here being likewise arule joint which prevents further bending of the parts in question in an upward direction when the top is open or fully extended.

In the specific constructional form of my improved top illustrated in Fig. 1, I provide a link 12 extending from the same bracket 13 on main bow 2 by means of which a link or arm 8 is attached to said bow, to a. point 14: on the inner end of how 3 located a short distance in advance of joint 9. The

point of attachment of this link 12' to the.

main bow is above that of said link or arm 8 to the latter, and the connection with how 3 is preferably a sliding pivotal one as shown, and in addition it will be noted. that, in the open or extended. condition of the top, said joint 9 lies slightly above a straight line connecting such points of attachment of link 12 to the main bow :2 and bow 3, re spectively. Link 12, it will accordingly be seen, serves to support the outrigger structure as a whole, acting as a tension member in the open condition of the top to rigidly sustain the bow 3 in alignment with arm 8. This link does not interfere in any way, however, with the folding operation, for, the moment joint 9 is broken and moved downwardly so as to fall below the line of said link, the top will immediately collapse, joint 11 sin'iultaneously breaking downwardly. The disposition and relative location of the several joints in the structure are such that the outrigger how will fold up against the front face of bow 3 when bow -l folds against the rear face thereof, and all three are at the same time brought back against main bow 2 so that the structure as a whole may be dropped in a compact stack on the usual top rests (not shown).

. The construction shown in Fig. 2 differs from that of Fig. 1 in the provision of modified means for rigidly supporting the bow 3 and arm '8, which together may be regarded as constituting an articulated bow. In other words, instead of carrying a link from the main bow to a point forwardly of joint 9 in such articulated bow, I connect the arm 3 with rearwardly extending supplemental how t by means of a link 15, and then employ link 16 which, as before, is attached at its rear end to bracket 13 at a point above the pivotal connection of said arm 8 therewith, and is attached at its forward end by means of a sliding pivotal connection 17 with said first named link 15. like a result of the double link construction just described, not only is the so-called articulated bow, consisting of bow 3 and arm 3, rigidly supported in desired position when the top is opened out, but the rearwardly extending supplemental how 4- carried by aid how 3 is at the same time held in pre determined position. There is thus formed a self-sustaining frame structure, the out rigger bow 10 being obviously sustained in nrooer position by the action of rule joint 11 whereby it is connected with the lower extension 7 of supplemental how 4.

The method of operation of this modified construction is substantially identical with that of the one first described, and should not require detailed explanation.

Both of the foregoing designs present numerous advantages over current types of one man or clear vision top construction. All of the bows, as well as supporting arms and links therefor, are carried well above the lower edge of the top cover 1, even where the quartering is shallow, as is neces-' sary where it is desired to give the popular flat efl'ect'to the top. The top, in other words, may be made to approach more closely the lines of the completely rigid frame type of construction than with any other foldable form of support. Not only is such frame easily foldable, but to open or extend the top is an equally simple operation, for, upon raising the main bow 2, all that is necessary is to force bows 3 and 4. apart, which may be doneeither directly or by raising joint 11 and simultaneously pulling forward on the frame as a whole.

The articulated bow consisting of how 3, proper, and the arm 8 supporting the same, may be properly regarded as one outrigger bow, while the how 10 carried by the lower, forwardly extending end of supplemental bow i, may be. regarded as a second outrigger bow (sometimes called the peak bow). It will be understood that this last-mom tioned bow is desirably secured to the windshield frame by detachable fasteners in the usual manner.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. In a top for vehicles and the like, the combination of a main bow; a foldable outrigger structure comprising a two-part articulated outrigger bow having its rear portion pivotally attached to said main bow, a rearwardly inclining supplemental bow pivotally attached to the forward portion of said outrigger bow, the lower end of said supplemental bow extending forwardly beyond said outrigger bow, and a second outrigger bow pivotally attached to such extending end of said supplemental bow; and foldable linkage connecting said outrigger structure with said main bow and adapted to sustain said structure from said bow in the open condition of the top.

2. In a top for vehicles and the like, the combination of a main how; a two-part articulated outrigger bow having its rear portion pivotally attached to said main bow; a rearwardly inclining supplemental bow pivotally attached to the forward portion of said outrigger bow, the lower end of said supplemental bow extending forwardly beyond said outrigger bow; a second outrigger bow pivotally attached to such extending end of said supplemental bow; a link pivotally connecting said supplemental bow and the rear portion of said first outrigger bow; and a second link connecting said first link with said main bow.

3. In a top for vehicles and the like, the combination of a main how; a two-part articulated outrigger bow having its rear portion pivotally attached to said main bow; a rearwardly inclining supplemental bow pivotally attached to the forward portion of said outrigger bow, the lower .end of said supplemental bow extending; forwardly beyond said outrigger bow; a second outrigger bow pivotally attached to such extending end of said supplmental bow; a link pivotally connecting said supplemental bow and the rear portion of said first outrigger bow; and a second link connecting said first link with said main bow at point above the point of attachment of said first outrigger bow thereto.

Signed by me, this 26 day of November, 1919.

CHARLES R. ALLEN. 

